RIP Jack LaLanne 1914-2011

In 2011, everyone's a fitness guru. Got a website and a fitness idea? You're a guru. Got a TV show?You don't need one-- just start a YouTube channel. Fitness fads are everywhere. Most are pretty silly. Shake Weight and Tony Little are prime offenders, but there's an inherent goofiness about fitness fads, in general, maybe because no matter what you're eating or lifting, or how healthy you are, some day, you're going to die. Paraphrasing a great Chris Rock joke, what's your sign? Taurus. You're gonna die. Sagittarius? You're gonna die. But this isn't upsetting news; it's the great leveler. It makes everyone truly equal, finally. It makes every day, every minute, every second, even that much more important.

Fitness gurus might still have existed without Jack LaLanne, but they certainly wouldn't be as entertaining without his example. Who was Jack LaLanne and what did he mean for the world of health, and medical equipment and supplies?

Jack LaLanne was the first fitness guru of the television age. He was an oddball, who decades ago recommended intense exercise for both men and women, eating raw foods, and eliminating sugar and starches from the diet. He opened Los Angeles' first health club, complete with juice bar in the 1930s and then took his wild ideas on health and fitness to television, where he hosted a daytime TV exercise program geared toward housewives that lasted decades. He was inherently silly, performing crazy stunts like towing a boat with his teeth and building his own workout machines at home.

LaLanne's supposedly oddball claims in the early 20th century were proven correct by science research in the later 20th century. Today, workouts and good nutrition for both men and women are considered the best way to avoid the negative effects of aging. There are health clubs in almost every town, and lifting exercise weights isn't just for athletes. Fitness gurus are everywhere.

In 2006 LaLanne said, "I can't afford to die. It would wreck my image."

Yesterday, LaLanne died, in his home in California.

While death is inevitable, quality of life is always up for debate. There's no question that despite all the silliness of Jack LaLanne-- his workouts, juice diets, and homemade exercise equipment, LaLanne's life was lived to the fullest. He experienced great joy trying to help others get healthier and feel better. He inspired multiple generations of health gurus. At QuickMedical, we might not be selling fitness products, if not for Jack LaLanne's television success.

LaLanne is gone, but he won't be forgotten. As a fitness pioneer, his image is reflected in every Urban Outdoor YouTube workout channel and silly TV exercise show. But more importantly, he is reflected in the everyday efforts of men and women, like you and I, raising the quality of their lives through exercise and good nutrition. Thanks for everything, Jack.

Photo courtesy of Low Density Lifestyle